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Tuesday 2 December 2008

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Gilt-edged returns for troubled times

Alex Brummer

28th October, 2008

Traditionalists choose gold, National Savings and gilts. But the best time to buy shares is often when other people are fleeing into cash, argues Alex Brummer

Booz Allen Hamilton, a $4bn-a-year American consultancy owned by its 300 partners, is in talks to sell its government consulting division for an estimated $2bn; among the suitors is buyout shop Carlyle.

Fixed interest

23rd January, 2008

After a decade of wrangling, the Ukrainian government seems to have finally agreed a credible privatisation programme.

Come fly with me

23rd January, 2008

Talks about a three-way tie-up with Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines have rapidly acquired an international dimension.

Loan survivor

23rd January, 2008

America’s more savvy bankers doubt that consumers will repay all their loans and credit card debt.

Supermarket sweep

23rd January, 2008

Citi has been hired to run a £2.5bn auction of Somerfield, the supermarket group.

Worsening economic conditions may see an end to high-fee funds

13th February, 2008

Amid the chaos and market carnage, there may actually be some good news for investors.

No news is good news

23rd January, 2008

John Thain, the former New York Stock Exchange boss brought in to sort out Merrill Lynch, insists there is no more bad news on the way.

Roller coaster markets call for a focus on stocks that are a cut above the rest

13th February, 2008

We have enjoyed a rare period of unusually low volatility in stock markets in recent years – that is, of course, until the credit crunch started to bite last year.

More cuts on the cards

23rd January, 2008

After this week’s shock Fed cut to 3.5%, expect another base rate reduction from the Bank of England next month.

L’escargot economy

23rd January, 2008

Despite Nicolas Sarkozy’s promises to revitalise the French economy, it is still a snail.

Rise in energy

23rd January, 2008

Figures from the US Department of Labor revealed a 0.4% rise in consumer prices in December, down from 0.8% in November, but up 4.1% overall in 2007.

The road ahead looks profitable for Driver

13th February, 2008

DRIVER Group, based in Lancashire, provides specialist commercial and dispute resolution services to the construction industry.

Results must be a wake-up call for Carphone Warehouse

23rd January, 2008

Retail activities still make up most of Carphone’s revenue, coming in at 53% of the £1.2bn ($600m, E800m) the company reported for the third quarter of its 2008 fiscal year.

Cross currency lending to emerging Europe is moving credit crisis east

13th February, 2008

EASTERN Europe has once again appeared back on the short radar, a topic I discussed with Michael Browne, a director at fund manager Sofaer, when we appeared on CNBC last Friday.

Requests for a bail-out will fall on deaf ears

23rd January, 2008

Persian Gulf business leaders and government officials heading to this year’s World Economic Forum at Davos will be under pressure to show their readiness to ease energy prices and boost foreign investment to help out the American and European economies.

Bond traders must focus on the road ahead rather than watch their backs

13th February, 2008

Looking in the rear-view mirror might make for a good driver but it certainly will not have been the right manoeuvre for credit investors.

Bad news day: banking crisis hits Thomson-Reuters tie-up

23rd January, 2008

When your customers are in crisis, the integration of two companies as part of a merger is sure to be tricky. The earnings outlook is murky and cost-cutting gains extra urgency.

Lose the dollars and pounds for a healthier currency life

13th February, 2008

With the dollar weakening, currency traders need to choose what to buy instead.

A Close shave as Cenkos runs out of steam

23rd January, 2008

For a firm named after a racehorse, Cenkos Securities never looked particularly sure-footed in the £1.5bn ($7.65bn, E1.03bn) race to buy Close Brothers, one of Britain’s few independent merchant banks.